{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/family-procedure-amendment-rules-2022/note",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/family-procedure-amendment-rules-2022/note.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2022/44",
  "legislation_title": "The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2022",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/family-procedure-amendment-rules-2022",
  "path": "note",
  "kind": "note",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Explanatory note",
  "text": "(This note is not part of the Rules)\nThese Rules amend the Family Procedure Rules 2010 (“the FPR”) (S.I. 2010/2955) to give procedural effect to the revised legislative framework brought about by the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (“DDSA 2020”).\nRules 3, 23, 24 and 25 reflect changes to language made by the DDSA 2020. Associated and consequential amendments from the insertion of the new Part 7 into the FPR are also made by rules 24, 25, 26 and 27.\nRule 4 inserts a new rule 3A.13 into the FPR which enables a practice direction to make provision about the prohibition of cross-examination in person under Part 4B of the 1984 Act.\nRule 5 inserts a new rule 5.8 into the FPR which enables provision to be made in a practice direction in relation to the bulk scanning of documents that are to be sent to the court.\nRules 6 to 20 amend Part 6 of the FPR in respect of service of the application for a matrimonial or civil partnership order within the jurisdiction. Rule 8 amends rule 6.5 of the FPR concerning who can serve, and be served with, an application. Rule 10 inserts a new rule 6.6A into the FPR to deal with the time for serving an application by the applicant and a new rule 6.6B into the FPR to deal with applications for an extension of time to serve the application. Rule 11 inserts a new rule 6.7A into the FPR to enable email service of the application on the respondent. Rule 17(b) omits rule 6.16(2) of the FPR to reflect the removal of the need for the applicant to satisfy the court of “conduct” or “separation” facts in order to establish irretrievable breakdown of the marriage or civil partnership. Rules 6 to 19 also make amendments to Part 6 of the FPR which are consequential on the insertions made to Part 6 and the insertion of a new Part 7 to the FPR. Rule 20 inserts a new rule 6.21A into the FPR to deal with situations where the court fails to serve the applicant the application by email.\nRule 21 inserts a new rule 6.41A into the FPR to deal with the time for serving an application for a matrimonial or civil partnership order outside the jurisdiction and a new rule 6.41B into the FPR to deal with applications for an extension of time to serve the application outside the jurisdiction.\nRule 22 substitutes for Part 7 of the FPR a new Part 7 to reflect the statutory changes made by the DDSA 2020. The new Part 7 FPR prescribes procedures to be followed, depending on the type of proceedings, including proceedings where a joint application is made. Part 7 FPR also deals with the listing of case management hearings in disputed cases and reflects changes to language made by the DDSA 2020.\nRule 28 amends rules 30.3, 30.4 and 30.5 to make it clear that an application to the lower court for permission to appeal may be made not only at the hearing at which the decision to be appealed is made, but also, if that hearing is adjourned to a later date, at the hearing on that later date.\nRule 29 makes transitional provisions.\nA full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/44/note",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-28T22:04:55.633330+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}